DOH confirms 1,112 pertussis cases, 54 deaths nationwide

The Department of Health (DOH) has reported a surge in pertussis or whooping cough cases across five regions in the Philippines, with 1,112 cases and 54 deaths recorded from January 1 to March 30.

Eastern Visayas, Cagayan Valley, CARAGA, Central Luzon, and the Cordillera Autonomous Region are the areas experiencing a continuous increase in pertussis cases.

Of the total cases, 77% involve children under five years old, while only about 4% affect adults aged 20 and above.

This year's cases are almost 34 times higher than the 32 cases recorded during the same period last year.

The DOH noted that the impact of intensified immunization efforts might not be evident in the statistics for another four to six weeks.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa stated that there might be a shortage of pertussis vaccines in May due to the ongoing outbreak.

The national government's pentavalent vaccine stocks are running low, with only 64,400 doses recorded as of March 25.